KYIV (Reuters) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday he had ordered his government to develop ways to bring food and international organizations and partners to Syria after President Bashar al-Assad bowed out.
Ukraine has been one of the world's leading producers of grain and oilseeds, and has been exporting wheat and corn to countries in the Middle East, but not to Syria.
Syria imported food from Russia under Assad, but Russian wheat shipments have been suspended amid uncertainty and payment delays, Russian and Syrian sources said on Friday.
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“We are ready to help Syria prevent the food crisis, especially through the 'Grain from Ukraine' aid program,” Zelenskiy wrote in X.
“I have instructed the government to establish ways to provide food in cooperation with international organizations and partners who can help.”
Ukraine's exports were disrupted by Russia's all-out invasion in February 2022, which significantly reduced Black Sea exports. Ukraine has since broken the de facto sea embargo and resumed exports from its southern port of Odesa.
(Reporting by Tom Balmforth in Kyiv; Additional reporting and writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Sandra Maler)
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